Backyard Garden + Recipe: Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini and Tomato Pasta
by Katie Goodman
This being my first year growing a vegetable garden, I didn’t want to begin the adventure with a lot that would be considered “advanced gardening.” I knew it would be a little bit of an investment up front — we had our side gate moved to accommodate the garden and had to add a lot of organic dirt and compost to the mix. After spending all that money, I wanted at least a couple of things that would be easy to grow.
Zucchini is a great starter vegetable for someone who’s new to gardening. It’s easy to grow and produces a lot — both of which give the newbie gardener lots of confidence. But then, there is often the problem of what to do with all the zucchini!
Zucchini pairs well with tomatoes (both of which I’m growing in my garden with great success), and both go great with pasta, but there are lots of other zucchini options, and some are not quite so obvious.
The week I made this dish I had 8 good-sized zucchini in my fridge that were really in need of being used up. If you find yourself with a “zucchini problem” like I did, you may want to check out some of the recipes listed below, in addition to this delicious Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini and Tomato Pasta.
- Zucchini Apple Spice Muffins
- Supreme Veggie Pizza with Mozzarella and Feta
- Zucchini Potato Frittata
- Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken Kebabs
The effect gardening has on my cooking is amazing: I’m focusing on what’s in season, planning my meals around what’s available, and truly appreciating fresh produce. I first created this dish on a hectic night just a day after coming home from my first vacation alone, with virtually nothing (save zucchini) in the fridge. But I had fresh tomatoes growing and available in my garden, and a delicious dinner made it to the table right on time.
Ingredients
Serves 2
2 large handfuls of frozen shelled and deveined shrimp
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup white wine
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp parsley
1 large zucchini grated
4 handfuls of tomatoes mixture of yellow pear and grape
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cooked pasta for 2
Directions:
Melt butter over medium high heat, until bubbly. Add shrimp and saute shrimp in butter until cooked through. Add garlic, saute one minute more. Add white wine and lemon juice. Simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.
Set aside in a large bowl. Add olive oil to the pan and heat.
Saute the grated zucchini for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and parsley and cook an additional minute. Combine the zucchini and tomatoes, shrimp with sauce, and pasta in a large bowl. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.
About the Author:
Katie Goodman resides in New Mexico with her husband and two children (a 4-year-old boy and an 18-month-old girl). Learning in the kitchen, eating, trying new recipes, and sharing them with friends and loved ones are some of Katie’s favorite things to do. She wholeheartedly believes that part of the goodness in life is enjoying good food with good friends and family, and goodLife {eats} is a place for her to share what she finds good in the kitchen.
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